Latest news with #USDepartmentOfJustice
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Brooklyn man tried smuggling $1.4 million in turtles to Hong Kong as ‘toys'
NEW YORK — Brooklyn man Wei Qiang Lin confessed to sending 850 turtles valued at $1.4 million to Hong Kong. The reptiles were packed into more than 220 boxes labeled 'plastic animal toys' when they were intercepted during a border inspection, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Authorities said the turtles would have traveled for weeks bound and taped inside knotted socks within their shipping containers. Lin is accused of sending those parcels between August 2023 and November 2024. He also attempted to move nearly a dozen shipments filled with reptiles including poisonous snakes, but he mainly dealt in eastern box and three-toed box turtles that are coveted in China and Hong Kong because of their colorful markings. Both species are native to the U.S. and protected by the international Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES. For 50 years, that agreement between 80 nations has aimed 'to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species,' according to the CITES website. Lin faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine as high as $250,000 when he's sentenced Dec. 23. As part of his plea, he also forfeited possession of the reptiles seized. _____
The Print
23-07-2025
- The Print
US says Chinese-origin engineer confessed to espionage, ‘stole' missile detection tech blueprints
According to the US Department Of Justice, Gong admitted to unlawfully transferring over 3,600 proprietary files from a California-based research and development firm specialising in advanced infrared missile detection systems. According to the statement, Chenguang Gong, aged 59, confessed to 'stealing trade secret technologies developed for use by the US government to detect nuclear missile launches, track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and to allow US fighter planes to detect and evade heat-seeking missiles'. Gong, whom the Office of Public Affairs of the US Department Of Justice described as ' a dual citizen of the United States and China ,' is scheduled to be sentenced on 29 September. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years. New Delhi: An engineer of Chinese origin living in the US has pleaded guilty to stealing highly sensitive military technology related to US missile detection systems, the US Department of Justice said in a press statement released on 21 July. The statement said the stolen material included classified blueprints and schematics used in space-based systems capable of detecting nuclear and hypersonic missile launches, as well as infrared sensors for military aircraft designed to evade heat-seeking missiles. Gong, a former engineer at an unnamed Southern California company, was employed for less than a month in early 2023 before being terminated. During his tenure, he allegedly downloaded thousands of files marked 'Proprietary Information', 'For Official Use Only', and 'Export Controlled' on his personal storage devices. The stolen files were later recovered from Gong's residence in California, the Department of Justice said. Among the compromised materials were detailed designs for mechanical assemblies used to cryogenically cool sensitive equipment, as well as blueprints for next-generation sensors with the ability to detect low-observable threats in space. The stolen intellectual property was estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and the US Justice Department estimated the total intended economic loss exceeds $3.5 million, the statement added. Also Read: Trump says 'deal is done', China to remove curbs on exports of critical minerals to US Role of China's 'talent programmes' Further investigation also revealed that Gong had longstanding ties to the Chinese government's controversial 'talent programmes'. These are initiatives that recruit global experts to contribute to China's technological and military development. The Thousand Talents Plan (TTP), launched by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 2008, was originally designed to address China's brain drain which saw an exodus of top Chinese researchers and scholars to countries like the US, Canada, and the UK. Initiated by Li Yuanchao, a former member of the CCP Politburo, the programme aimed to foster an 'innovative society' rather than facilitate the theft of US technology. However, over time, the TTP has raised serious concerns within the US government over its potential role in intellectual property theft and the unauthorised transfer of sensitive technologies. A 2019 US Senate report revealed that some participants were required to prioritise Chinese interests and share research developed abroad. Authorities in the US and Australia have tied these programmes to corporate espionage, with cases of unauthorized tech transfers and IP theft reported by partner firms, especially in sectors like Artificial Intelligence, biotech, and aerospace. Between 2014 and 2022, Gong submitted multiple applications to these programmes while working at major US tech firms. In one 2014 proposal, Gong offered to develop high-performance analog-to-digital converters similar to those produced by his US employer and emphasised their military utility for radar and missile systems. He later proposed developing low-light image sensors for military-grade night vision goggles and included information about equipment developed by a major defence contractor he had previously worked for, the Department of Justice statement said. In a 2019 email, he acknowledged the risks of participating in the talent programme, writing that he 'took a risk' by traveling to China while employed by an American defence contractor, but believed he could 'contribute to China's high-end military integrated circuits'. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: China's Brahmaputra dam is also a military asset. It raises alarm for India
CTV News
11-06-2025
- CTV News
Florida man convicted of posing as flight attendant to score more than 100 free flights
MIAMI -- A federal jury has convicted a 35-year-old South Florida man who fraudulently booked more than 120 free airline flights by posing as a flight attendant, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday. Tiron Alexander was found guilty on June 5 of wire fraud and unlawfully entering a secure airport area under false pretenses. Prosecutors said Alexander exploited a program intended for airline staff, using it to board 34 flights without paying between 2018 and 2024. According to evidence presented at trial, Alexander submitted false information through an airline carrier's employee flight booking system. He falsely claimed to be a flight attendant with seven different airlines, providing roughly 30 fake badge numbers and hire dates. Authorities said he successfully used the system to travel dozens of times at no cost. Jurors also learned that Alexander impersonated a flight attendant on three other airline carriers, further expanding the scope of the scheme. Alexander is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 25 and faces up to 30 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the TSA Atlanta Field Office. U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O'Byrne and Supervisory Air Marshal in Charge Antonio L. Pittman announced the conviction. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Shepherd, Zachary A. Keller, and Andres E. Chinchilla are handling the prosecution.
Russia Today
03-06-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
US launches new probe into India's Adani over Iran trade
The US Department of Justice has launched a new investigation into Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, alleging potential violations of US sanctions on Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday. The probe focuses on alleged imports of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) into India through Adani's Mundra port, located in the western state of Gujarat. An investigation by the WSJ found that tankers traveling between Mundra and the Persian Gulf often exhibited behavior commonly associated with ships attempting to evade sanctions, prompting further scrutiny into Adani's business dealings. Adani Group said it was not aware of any investigations conducted by the US, calling the report 'baseless and mischievous.' 'Adani categorically denies any deliberate engagement in sanctions evasion or trade involving Iranian-origin LPG. Further, we are not aware of any investigation by US authorities on this subject,' the company said. In May, US President Donald Trump announced that all purchases of Iranian oil and petrochemical products must cease, warning that any country or individual found to be buying these products would be immediately subject to secondary sanctions. The new US probe into one of India's largest conglomerates comes amid intense pressure which Adani has faced over the last two years. It began in 2023, when US investment firm Hindenburg Research released a report alleging that the Adani Group was involved in stock market manipulation. Later that year, similar allegations were raised by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, an international platform known for its work on the Panama Papers and Pandora Papers. Hindenburg's report led to a $150 billion loss in Adani's market value and sparked a political storm in India, with opposition parties calling for an investigation into Adani's alleged ties to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Last year, Hindenburg extended its criticism of the Adani Group to Indian officials, alleging that the head of the country's stock exchange regulator was involved in trading the group's shares, thereby preventing a proper investigation into supposed financial irregularities. Madhabi Puri Buch, chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, has denied the claims. In November 2024, US prosecutors indicted Gautam Adani and several top managers of his group for allegedly paying $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure 'lucrative' solar power contracts. Adani Group has denied the allegations, calling them 'baseless.' The issue of US pressure on Adani was expected to feature in talks between Modi and Trump when the Indian leader visited Washington in February this year. Modi, however, denied that these discussions took place.
